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Ransomware hiding in fake AI, business tools

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1 month ago

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Artificial intelligence (AI) and small business tools are being abused as smokescreens to hit unsuspecting victims with ransomware.

In the masquerade campaigns discovered by Cisco Talos, cybercriminals hid malware behind software and install packages that mimicked the websites or names of the lead monetization service Nova Leads, the enormously popular Chat GPT, and an AI-empowered video tool called InVideo AI.

As small businesses quickly adopt AI tools—a recent survey from the US Chamber of Commerce and the strategy firm Teneo revealed that 98% of small businesses already use at least one AI-powered product and 40% use generative AI—these cybercriminal lures pose the next, big threat to sole proprietors and boutique shops.

According to the researchers at Cisco Talos, the threat is twofold.

“Unsuspecting businesses in search of AI solutions may be deceived into downloading counterfeit tools in which malware is embedded,” Talos said. “This practice poses a significant risk, as it not only compromises sensitive business data and financial assets but also undermines trust in legitimate AI market solutions.”

In the first potential online attack, Talos found that cybercriminals created a fake website that closely resembled that of the legitimate company Nova Leads. The company helps businesses with lead monetization through acquisition, conversion, and content creation. But rather than simply copying the look and feel of Nova’s website, the cybercriminals also offered a completely fake, AI-powered product called “Nova Leads AI.”

On the malicious website, users were prompted to download Nova Leads AI for ”free access” for 12 months. If users downloaded and installed the fake software, the ransomware CyberLock was instead deployed. Researchers at Talos analyzed how CyberLock moved throughout a network and retrieved the ransom note left behind by the cybercriminals. In it, the ransomware gang claimed, falsely, that their attacks were altruistic.

“We want to assure you that your payment does not go to us,” the ransomware gang said in its note. “It will instead go to support affected women and children in Palestine, Ukraine, Africa, Asia, and other regions where injustices are a daily reality.”

In the note, victims are directed to pay $50,000 in cryptocurrency. The ransomware campaign is particularly dangerous as cybercriminals managed to manipulate SEO practices to rank their malicious website near the top of relevant online searches. This method, called “SEO poisoning,” is deployed by scammers, hackers, and shady websites.

In a second potential attack, Talos found that a software installer labeled “ChatGPT 4.0 full version – Premium.exe” was actually hiding the ransomware Lucky_Gh0$t. Interestingly, the files contained within the installer also contained legitimate open-source AI tools from Microsoft, likely as an evasion technique to ward off any antivirus tools inspecting the package for malware.

Though the Lucky_Gh0$t ransom note did not include a specific dollar amount, the cybercriminals displayed a starkly different attitude from CyberLock’s alleged humanitarianism:

“We are not a politically motivated group and we do not need anything other than your money.”

In the last potential attack, Talos found a new malware that the team dubbed “Numero.” Though it is not officially a form of ransomware, Talos found that, once deployed, it effectively renders systems “completely unusable.”

Talos discovered that the malware’s internal data co-opted the product and organizations names of the service InVideo AI, an AI-powered video generation service that can be used for marketing, content, and more.

While cybercriminals have long disguised their malware under popular brands, the emergence of AI—and its popularity for small businesses—highlight the dangers that small shops face simply for trying to do business online. But there is help at hand.

How to protect your small business from ransomware

As is true with all malware infections, the best defense to a ransomware attack is to never allow an attack to occur in the first place. Take on the following steps to secure your business from this existential threat:

  • Block common forms of entry. Patch known vulnerabilities in internet-facing software and disable or harden the login credentials for remote work tools like RDP ports and VPNs.
  • Prevent intrusions and stop malicious encryption. Stop threats early before they can infiltrate or infect your endpoints. Use always-on cybersecurity software that can prevent exploits and malware used to deliver ransomware.
  • Create offsite, offline backups. Keep backups offsite and offline, beyond the reach of attackers. Test them regularly to make sure you can restore essential business functions swiftly.
  • Don’t get attacked twice. Once you’ve isolated an outbreak and stopped a first attack, you must remove every trace of the attackers, their malware, their tools, and their methods of entry, to avoid being attacked again.



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Pluriva Invests €250K in AI Virtual Assistant for Romanian Firms

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July 8, 2025

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Pluriva Invests €250K in AI Virtual Assistant for Romanian Firms – The Romania Journal





























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AI in healthcare: What business leaders need to know

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2 hours ago

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July 8, 2025

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Artificial intelligence may seem like a new, untested technology, but the reality is that AI is already integrated into our everyday lives. For instance, Siri, Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant use natural language processing and natural language understanding to analyze and respond to voice commands. Emails and text messages use NLP for predictive text and auto correct.

The rapid development of AI brings with it enormous concerns, especially regarding its applications in healthcare. However, AI is already transforming patient care in positive ways, for example, by making it easier for clinicians to diagnose and treat illness sooner, potentially reducing the need for costly specialized treatment or hospitalization.

Read more:  Sick of answering the same benefits questions from employees? Let AI do the work

Chronic condition management and early detection

While clinical judgment by an actual human is still critical to ensuring patients receive the best possible care, AI can support clinicians and their decision-making by providing a more complete view of patient health.

For instance, radiologists are now using AI to more accurately analyze X-rays, MRIs, CT scans and mammograms. AI’s sensitivity to distinguish slight changes from image to image can help detect chronic diseases earlier and more accurately. In one study, researchers found an AI system could predict diagnoses of Berger’s kidney disease more accurately than trained nephrologists. In an attempt to slow the progression of kidney disease among veterans, such as Berger’s disease, the Veterans Administration partnered with DeepMind, an AI research lab, to identify risk predictors for patient deterioration and alert clinicians early. DeepMind developed an AI model based on electronic health records from the Veterans Administration that identified 90% of all acute kidney injuries that required subsequent dialysis, with a lead time of up to 48 hours. 

Earlier intervention in the case of Berger’s disease and other kidney conditions significantly impacts the economic burden of the disease, potentially saving plan sponsors between $276.80-$480.79 per member per month. 

Read more:  AI can help benefit leaders with the compensation process

Automating administrative tasks

One of AI’s greatest assets is its ability to quickly assess large volumes of data to optimize clinical and administrative time. Medical practices are utilizing AI-enabled technology to improve administrative efficiency and patient care. Automated documentation tools can reduce the time physicians spend on patient charting by 72%, which means physicians can spend more time treating and diagnosing plan members. AI can also integrate with electronic health records to pull relevant data, identify missing information and complete and submit prior authorization forms on behalf of providers.

Administrative expenses account for 15% to 25% of total healthcare expenditures. Reducing administrative overhead and claims errors, along with early diagnosis and treatment of chronic disease, can improve member outcomes and produce impressive cost savings for plan sponsors. AI has the potential to save $265 billion in overall healthcare costs by eliminating administrative overhead and documentation errors.

AI’s ability to process vast quantities of data also benefits health plan administrators. Plan sponsors can implement AI tools that provide members with personalized treatment and support, identify health plans during enrollment that best fit specific member needs and determine additional benefits for members and their families. 

Read more:  Leaders share their most popular summer benefits

Overcoming barriers to adoption

Despite its potential to reduce healthcare costs, improve patient outcomes and improve member experience, AI adoption is still slow. The initial investment required to implement AI can be high, and it includes the cost of the technology, staff training, system integration and maintenance of AI models, not to mention potential liability concerns. 

When considering utilizing AI for the purposes of improving efficiency and outcomes, organizations in the healthcare industry are: 

  • Analyzing how AI solutions can support their population, and which modalities are likely to be (or have proven to be) successful
  • Consulting with internal stakeholders from the beginning to identify potential challenges to adoption
  • Evaluating potential cost savings and member outcomes
  • Considering the quality and source of data used to train AI models
  • Ensuring AI tools meet HIPAA requirements

AI in healthcare is no longer an idea of the future. It is here and already making significant improvements in patient outcomes. However, AI is dependent on data quality and clearly defined learning parameters to eliminate potential bias and make accurate predictions. Organizations must also weigh other risks associated with AI, such as informed consent issues that may arise if patients do not fully understand how their information is being used.



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An Analysis of Size, Shares, Business

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2 hours ago

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July 8, 2025

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Conversational AI Market

The conversational AI market is estimated to be valued at USD 13.08 Bn in 2025 and is expected to reach USD 55.11 Bn by 2032, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 22.8% from 2025 to 2032.

Latest Report, titled “Conversational AI Market” Trends, Share, Size, Growth, Opportunity and Forecast 2024-2031, by Coherent Market Insights offers a comprehensive analysis of the industry, which comprises insights on the market analysis. The report also includes competitor and regional analysis, and contemporary advancements in the market.

The report features a comprehensive table of contents, figures, tables, and charts, as well as insightful analysis. The Conversational AI market has been expanding significantly in recent years, driven by various key factors like increased demand for its products, expanding customer base, and technological advancements. This report provides a comprehensive analysis of the Conversational AI market, including market size, trends, drivers and constraints, competitive aspects, and prospects for future growth.

Get a Sample Copy of This Report @ https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/insight/request-sample/6708

The report sheds light on the competitive landscape, segmentation, geographical expansion, revenue, production, and consumption growth of the Conversational AI market. The Conversational AI Market Size, Growth Analysis, Industry Trend, and Forecast provides details of the factors influencing the business scope. This report provides future products, joint ventures, marketing strategy, developments, mergers and acquisitions, marketing, promotions, revenue, import, export, CAGR values, the industry as a whole, and the particular competitors faced are also studied in the large-scale market.

Overview and Scope of the Report:

This report is centred around the Conversational AI in the worldwide market, with a specific focus on North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East, and Africa. The report classifies the market by manufacturers, regions, type, and application. It presents a comprehensive view of the current market situation, encompassing historical and projected market size in terms of value and volume. Additionally, the report covers technological advancements and considers macroeconomic and governing factors influencing the market.

Key Players Covered In This Report:

Google, Microsoft, Amazon Web Services, Inc., IBM, Oracle, Nuance Communications, Inc., FIS, SAP SE, Artificial Solutions, Kore.ai, Inc., Avaamo, Conversica, Inc., Jio Haptik Technologies Ltd., Rasa Technologies Inc., Solvvy, Pypestream Inc., Kasisto, Cognigy, MindMeld, and Creative Virtual

This Report includes a company overview, company financials, revenue generated, market potential, investment in research and development, new market initiatives, production sites and facilities, company strengths and weaknesses, product launch, product trials pipelines, product approvals, patents, product width and breath, application dominance, technology lifeline curve. The data points provided are only related to the company’s focus related to Conversational AI markets. Leading global Conversational AI market players and manufacturers are studied to give a brief idea about competitions.

Key Opportunities:

The report examines the key opportunities in the Conversational AI Market and identifies the factors that are driving and will continue to drive the industry’s growth. It takes into account past growth patterns, growth drivers, as well as current and future trends.

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Highlights of Our Report:

⏩Extensive Market Analysis: A deep dive into the manufacturing capabilities, production volumes, and technological innovations within the Conversational AI Market.

⏩ Corporate Insights: An in-depth review of company profiles, spotlighting major players and their strategic manoeuvres in the market’s competitive arena.

⏩Consumption Trends: A detailed analysis of consumption patterns, offering insight into current demand dynamics and consumer preferences.

⏩Segmentation Details: An exhaustive breakdown of end-user segments, depicting the market’s spread across various applications and industries.

⏩ Pricing Evaluation: A study of pricing structures and the elements influencing market pricing strategies.

⏩ Future Outlook: Predictive insights into market trends, growth prospects, and potential challenges ahead.

Why Should You Obtain This Report?

➥ Statistical Advantage: Gain access to vital historical data and projections for the Conversational AI Market, arming you with key statistics.

➥ Competitive Landscape Mapping: Discover and analyze the roles of market players, providing a panoramic view of the competitive scene.

➥ Insight into Demand Dynamics: Obtain comprehensive information on demand characteristics, uncovering market consumption trends and growth avenues.

➥ Identification of Market Opportunities: Astutely recognize market potential, aiding stakeholders in making informed strategic decisions.

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Questions Answered by the Report:

(1) Which are the dominant players of the Conversational AI Market?

(2) What will be the size of the Conversational AI Market in the coming years?

(3) Which segment will lead the Conversational AI Market?

(4) How will the market development trends change in the next five years?

(5) What is the nature of the competitive landscape of the Conversational AI Market?

(6) What are the go-to strategies adopted in the Conversational AI Market?

Author of this marketing PR:

Alice Mutum is a seasoned senior content editor at Coherent Market Insights, leveraging extensive expertise gained from her previous role as a content writer. With seven years in content development, Alice masterfully employs SEO best practices and cutting-edge digital marketing strategies to craft high-ranking, impactful content. As an editor, she meticulously ensures flawless grammar and punctuation, precise data accuracy, and perfect alignment with audience needs in every research report. Alice’s dedication to excellence and her strategic approach to content make her an invaluable asset in the world of market insights.

Coherent Market Insights Pvt Ltd,

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Suite 400, Burlingame,

CA 94010, United States

About Us:

Coherent Market Insights leads into data and analytics, audience measurement, consumer behaviours, and market trend analysis. From shorter dispatch to in-depth insights, CMI has exceled in offering research, analytics, and consumer-focused shifts for nearly a decade. With cutting-edge syndicated tools and custom-made research services, we empower businesses to move in the direction of growth. We are multifunctional in our work scope and have 450+ seasoned consultants, analysts, and researchers across 26+ industries spread out in 32+ countries.

This release was published on openPR.



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